Opponents of the Newland Sierra development listen during a San Diego County Planning Commission meeting. The development is west of Interstate 15 about 5 miles north of downtown Escondido.

Opponents of the Newland Sierra development listen during a San Diego County Planning Commission meeting. The development is west of Interstate 15 about 5 miles north of downtown Escondido. (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)

A housing project that would bring 2,135 residences to the Twin Oaks Valley area north of Escondido was recommended for approval Thursday by the county’s Planning Commission following an all-day hearing.

Hundreds of people attended the gathering in Kearny Mesa, many of them passionately opposed to the Newland Sierra project, which will now go to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

The commission voted 6-1 to support the project.

“This is a well-planned and well-designed project,” Commissioner Michael Edwards said. “There is no doubt it is needed.”

Only Commissioner Michael Beck voted against recommending approval, citing numerous concerns about the environment and other issues, including traffic.

Dozens of speakers told the commission during the seven-hour meeting the development would present an evacuation nightmare in case of wildfire. They also expressed concerns about excessive traffic in an area already overburdened with commuters and damage that would be caused to a critical wildlife area.

Most importantly, they said, the development would drastically alter the character of the semi-rural community located just west of Interstate 15 at Deer Springs Road by more than tripling the population of the area.

“Newland Sierra and other developers will be ruining San Diego, they will be ruining our countryside,” said Ruth Mattes of San Marcos. "Is that what we want, another L.A.? These developers will do and say anything to get what they want, then leave us, the victims, to deal with lasting devastation.”

Many other speakers, however, expressed support for Newland Sierra, citing the desperate need for more homes in the region.

“There is a severe housing crisis,” said Ernie Cowan, representing the North San Diego County Association of Realtors. “People can’t move in, out, up or down in San Diego County. There simply is not the inventory … many of our employees are moving out of this area either permanently or to buy houses and make long commutes.”

Following the hearing, Rita Brandin, development director for Newland Communities, the developer, said she was pleased.

“I am very, very grateful that the planning commissioners did a very thorough review today,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the next phase of bringing Newland Sierra forward to the supervisors.”

Beck asked a California Department of Transportation representative what impact the project, and other proposed housing developments in North County coming before the commission later this summer, will have on the freeway.

He was told there are no plans to expand I-15 between Escondido and Temecula any time in the next couple of decades. The Caltrans representative and Beck agreed that what is already a terrible traffic situation on the freeway will only get worse if thousands of new houses are built along the corridor.

“So we’re planning for gridlock, basically,” Beck said.

As part of the approval process, Newland Communities has agreed to spend $22 million for a new I-15/Deer Springs Road interchange after several hundred homes have been built and also will spend millions widening a portion of Deer Springs Road.

At least a half-dozen lawyers representing the Golden Door Spa, which is located on 600 acres across the street from where Newland Sierra’s entrance would be located, spoke at the hearing, challenging various aspects of the huge environmental report prepared for the project.

They have already said that should the supervisors approve the development they will sue to overturn the decision and they are prepared to mount a signature- gathering drive to place a measure on a 2020 ballot asking voters countywide to reverse the approval.